Canterbury Tales
Geoffrey Chaucer

Modern English translations in notes window	Chaucer's original Middle English
D.L. Purvis translation	In NOTES frame
Litrix web site translation	In DEFINTIONS frame
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1. When April with his showers sweet with fruit
2. The drought of March has pierced unto the root
3. And bathed each vein with liquor that has power
4. To generate therein and sire the flower;
5. When Zephyr also has, with his sweet breath,
6. Quickened again, in every holt and heath,
7. The tender shoots and buds, and the young sun
8. Into the Ram one half his course has run,
9. And many little birds make melody
10. That sleep through all the night with open eye
11. (So Nature pricks them on to ramp and rage)-
12. Then do folk long to go on pilgrimage,
13. And palmers to go seeking out strange strands,
14. To distant shrines well known in sundry lands.
15. And specially from every shire's end
16. Of England they to Canterbury wend,
17. The holy blessed martyr there to seek
18. Who helped them when they lay so ill and weal
19. Befell that, in that season, on a day
20. In Southwark, at the Tabard, as I lay
21. Ready to start upon my pilgrimage
22. To Canterbury, full of devout homage,
23. There came at nightfall to that hostelry
24. Some nine and twenty in a company
25. Of sundry persons who had chanced to fall
26. In fellowship, and pilgrims were they all
27. That toward Canterbury town would ride.
28. The rooms and stables spacious were and wide,
29. And well we there were eased, and of the best.
30. And briefly, when the sun had gone to rest,
31. So had I spoken with them, every one,
32. That I was of their fellowship anon,
33. And made agreement that we'd early rise
34. To take the road, as you I will apprise.
35. But none the less, whilst I have time and space,
36. Before yet farther in this tale I pace,
37. It seems to me accordant with reason
38. To inform you of the state of every one
39. Of all of these, as it appeared to me,
40. And who they were, and what was their degree,
41. And even how arrayed there at the inn;
42. And with a knight thus will I first begin.

Exploring The Waste Land - [Home] [E-mail] File date: Sunday, September 29, 2002